Table 2.
Awareness and knowledge of medication disposal.
| PARAMETER | N (%) |
|---|---|
| Current medications disposal methods | |
| • household trash bins | 874 (79.5%) |
| • Toilet flush | 38 (3.5%) |
| • Return to pharmacy | 44 (4%) |
| • Return to hospital | 42 (3.8%) |
| • Give/donate medications to other people | 142 (12.9%) |
| • I do not dispose medications | 75 (6.8%) |
| • Other methods | 45 (4.1%) |
| Received education regarding safe disposal of medications? | |
| • Yes | 92 (8.4%) |
| • No | 960 (87.3) |
| • Don’t know | 48 (4.4%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 6 (0.5%) |
| Seeking information from official resources regarding safe disposal of medications | |
| • Always | 139 (12.6%) |
| • Often | 99 (9%) |
| • Sometimes | 213 (19.4%) |
| • Rare | 202 (18.4%) |
| • Never | 447 (40.6%) |
| Responsible sector to educate the public about safe disposal of medications | |
| • Hospitals | 525 (47.7%) |
| • Pharmacies | 587 (53.4%) |
| • Social media | 449 (40.8%) |
| • Medical waste companies | 547 (49.7%) |
| Unsafe disposal of medications associated with harmful consequences on public health and global environment | |
| • Highly agree | 562 (51.1%) |
| • Agree | 315 (28.6%) |
| • Don’t know | 204 (18.5%) |
| • Disagree | 13 (1.2%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 0 (0%) |
| The presence of designated medication disposal locations or medications disposal process will improve safe medication waste management practices | |
| • Highly agree | 750 (68.2%) |
| • Agree | 285 (25.9%) |
| • Don’t know | 51 (4.6%) |
| • Disagree | 12 (1.1%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 2 (0.2%) |
| Locating medications disposal facilities via smart phone application would assist in safe drug disposal practice | |
| • Highly agree | 751 (68.3%) |
| • Agree | 277 (25.2%) |
| • Don’t know | 50 (4.5%) |
| • Disagree | 19 (1.7%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 3 (0.3%) |
| Effective methods to raise the community awareness regarding medications disposal | |
| • Deliver clear instructions while patients receive medications | 758 (68.9%) |
| • Patient education by health care professionals | 488 (44.4%) |
| • Public awareness via social media | 773 (70.3%) |
| • Other methods | 110 (10%) |
| Best method to dispose medication in from participants point of view | |
| • Return to pharmacy | 250 (22.7%) |
| • Take it to the hospital | 181 (16.5%) |
| • Through household trash | 457 (41.5%) |
| • Through toilet flush | 43 (3.9%) |
| • Others | 169 (15.4%) |
| Participants’ opinion about disposing unused/expired medications? | |
| • Highly agree | 872 (79.3%) |
| • Agree | 165 (15%) |
| • Don’t know | 37 (3.4%) |
| • Disagree | 20 (1.8%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 6 (0.5%) |
| Participants’ opinion on if the presence of smartphone applications locating drug disposal facilities would assist in safe medication disposal practice | |
| • Highly agree | 751 (68.3%) |
| • Agree | 277 (25.2%) |
| • Don’t know | 50 (4.5%) |
| • Disagree | 19 (1.7%) |
| • Strongly disagree | 3 (0.3%) |
| Participants’ opinion on the best method to raise community awareness regarding medication disposal | |
| • Deliver clear instructions while the patient receives the drug | 758 (68.9%) |
| • Patients’ education by a health care practitioner | 488 (44.4%) |
| • Publicize awareness through social network | 773 (70.3%) |
| • Other ways | 110 (10%) |